Adjustable golf club



Oct. 26, 1965 D, F. WARNOCK 3,214,170

ADJUSTABLE GOLF, CLUB Filed June '7, 1962 FTW United Sttes Patet3214,17@ Patented et. 25, 1965 ice 3,214,171) ADEUSTABLE @GLF CLUB DennyF. Warriock, Musltego, Wis., assigner to Layton Company, inc.,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed .lune 7, 1962, Ser.No. 260,7114 Claims. (Ci. 273-fi0.1)

The present invention relates in general to improvements in golfingequipment, and it relates more specifically to improvements in theconstruction and operation of an adjustable golf club.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a practicaladjustable golf club which is simple and durable in structure andflexible in adaptation.

In order to reduce the number of golf clubs required to meet the whimsand requirements of diverse golfers, it has heretofore been proposed toprovide clubs having angularly adjustable heads and longitudinallyvariable shafts, but none of these prior club assemblages have provensatisfactory either because they were not sufficiently sturdy and safe,or they were too complicated and tedious to adjust, or they were toodifficult to manufacture and sell at moderate cost, or they were toobulky and heavy to manipulate.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to providean improved golf club assemblage wherein both the angularity of the headrelative to the shaft and the length of the latter may be convenientlyvaried to accommodate diverse requirements, and in which the parts canbe locked in adjusted positions so as to insure maintenance of theadjustment as well as to meet tournament rules.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improvedgolf club in which the head angularity or the shaft length may berapidly altered with minimum effort and with the aid of simple tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplilied but highlyeffective adjustable head assembly for golf clubs which can bemanufactured and sold at reasonable prices and used either to suitconditions or to fit diverse people or to replace a number of differenttypes of fixed head clubs normally utilized.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improvedinstrumentalities for effecting variation in the effective length of agolf club by shifting the handle along the shaft and for locking theseparts in relatively adjusted position so as to positively preventaccidental separation thereof.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent from the following description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvementsand of the construction and usage of a golf club embodying the same maybe had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part ofthis specification in which like reference characters designate the sameor similar parts in the various views.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an assembled adjustable golf clubembodying an adjustable head and shaft involving the invention, showingthe head in mid-position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken transversely through the shaft ofthe club of FIG. 1, and showing a top view of the head assembly;

FIG. 3 is a similarly enlarged central vertical section takenlongitudinally through the head, showing it in one extreme position ofadjustment;

FIG. 4 is a likewise enlarged similar section through the head, showingit in the opposite extreme adjusted position;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the improved head adjustingassemblage;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged central vertical section through the upper end ofthe shaft and handle, showing these cooperating elements shortened tothe maximum extent;

FIG. 7 is a likewise enlarged similar section through the shaft andhandle with the cooperating elements extended to maximum extent; and

FIG. 8 is a similarly enlarged transverse section through the clublength adjusting structure, taken along the line 8*@ of FIG. 7.

While the improvements have been shown and described herein as havingbeen applied to a club having both the head angularity and the effectiveshaft length adjustable, it is not intended to confine the invention tosuch a club assemblage; and it is also contemplated that specificdescriptive terms be given the broadest possible interpretationconsistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the golf club shown therein by way ofillustration comprises in general, an elongated head 9 having therein asegmental cylindrical recess 10 partially bounded by a chord surface 11;a shaft 12 having thereon a segmental cylindrical block 13 snuglyfitting the head recess 1t) and which is partially bounded by a longerchord surface 14 facing but spaced from the recess surface 11; a pair ofset screws 15 threaded for adjustment within the head 9 and beingcooperable with the chord surface 14 of the block 13 to vary theangularity of the head 9 relative to `the shaft 12; a hollow handle 16slidably embracing the hollow end 17 of the shaft 12 remote from theblock 13 and covering an elongated slot 18 formed in this shaft end; andan expandable member or plug 19 confined within the slotted shaft endl17 and being secured to the handle 16 by a key 20 and a locking setscrew 21 both extending through the slot 18.

The head 9 of the club assembly is preferably constructed of durablewear-resistant metal, and in order to facilitate production of thesegmental cylindrical recess 10, it may be formed by initially drillinga round hole laterally through a separate prismatic metal piece 23- andby permanently attaching a metal segment 24 having the segment surface11 thereon within the bottom of this hole, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.The segmental cylindrical block 13 which is eventually permanentlyconfined within the recess 1() before the metal piece 23 is inserted andfirmly secured within a rectangular hole 25 in the head 9 may be formedof a short section of solid bar stock having the segment surface 14formed thereon; and. the shafts 12 are usually formed of tubular metalstock of gradually diminishing diameter and may be permanently securedto the block 13 in any desired manner, either before or after this block13 and the metallic bearing piece 23 are confined within the head 9.

The set screws 1S may be screw threaded in the piece 23 and areadjustable with the aid of an ordinary screwdriver to cause the head 9to assume various angular positions relative to the shaft 12 asindicated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, and when these screws are both drivenhome into engagement with the block surface 14, the head 9 will belocked to the shaft 12 while the two surfaces 11, 14 will also functionto positively limit the extent of such angular head adjustment in eitherdirection. It may be desirable in order to prevent the segment 24 frombecoming displaced within the recess 111 to provide a pin 26 as shown inFIG. 5, and the prismatic piece 23 with the block 13 confined thereinshould also be permanently secured in any desired manner within therectangular hole 25 of the head in order to convert the head 9 togetherwith the piece 23 and segment 24 into a unitary structure.

As previously indicated, the hollow end 17 of the shaft 12 is providedwith an elongated slot 18 and is slidably embraced by the hollow handle16 which normally covers the slot, and the elongated expandable plug 19is formed of resilient metal or other material and is bifurcatedlongitudinally as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 by an elongated slit 28.The handle 16 usually comprises several concentric tubular portions 29,30, the outer portion 29 of which provides the grip while the innerportion 30 snugly but slidably embraces the shaft end 17, and the plug19 is firmly attached to the inner portion 30 of the handle 16 by thekey 20 which is normally covered and concealed by the outer grippingportion 29. The set screw 21 is screw threaded in the inner handleportion 30 and coacts with one of the resilient bifurcations of the plug19 to release this plug from the shaft end 17, but this set screw 21 ismanipulable through an opening in the outer handle portion 30 to expandthe plug and to thereby lock the handle 16 in various positions ofadjustment longitudinally of the shaft 12.

When the various parts of the improved golf club unit have been properlyconstructed and assembled as shown, the head 9 may be readily adjustedto vary its angularity relative to the shaft 12 and handle 16 bymanipulating the set screws 1S, and the effective length of the club mayalso be adjusted by manipulating the set screw 21, and both of theseadjustments may be effected with the aid of the same screwdriver. Themaximum angular adjustment of the head 9 is limited by the spacing ofthe chord surfaces 11, 14 to the extent shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, but thehead may also be adjusted to any intermediate angle and locked inadjusted position with the aid of the set screws 15. The maximum extentto which the handle and shaft assemblage may be elongated or shortenedis limited by the length of the slot 18 and its engagement with the key20 and `set screw 21, but the length of adjustment of the club may alsobe varied to any intermediate point with the aid of the set screw 21,and in both cases the set screws can be utilized to firmly lock theparts in adjusted positions.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the presentinvention in fact provides a simple, compact, and readily manipulableassemblage.

The improved club can obviously be conveniently adjusted to vary theangularity of the head 9 relative to the shaft 12, and the head may belocked in various positions -of angular adjustment with the aid of theset screws 15 within the limits defined by the stop surfaces 11, 14 asdepicted in FGS. 3 and 4. The effective length of the club may also beconveniently varied and locked in adjusted position with the aid of theset screw 21 and the expandable plug 20, and the slot 1S in the shaftend 17 limits the range of length adjustment. The improved clubassemblage has proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual useand can be manufactured and sold at moderate cost.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention.

I claim:

1. An adjustable golf club comprising, a head having therein asubstantially cylindrical recess bounded on one side by a chord surface,a shaft having thereon a cylindrical block snugly fitting said recessand also bounded on one side by a chord surface, the recess having ashorter chord surface than the chord surface of the block and saidsurfaces being spaced apart to permit rotary adjustment of said headrelative to said block, and means on said head coacting with the chordsurface of said block at spaced locations therealong for positivelyclamping the block in various positions of adjustment within saidrecess.

2.. An adjustable golf club comprising, a head having therein a recessbounded by arcuate surfaces constituting sections of a circle and achord of the circle, a shaft having thereon a block shaped to snugly fitsaid recess but being provided with a chord surface facing and spacedfrom the recess chord surface to permit limited rotation of said shaftand block relative to said head, and adjustable means on said head andcoacting with said chord surface of the block to positively clamp theblock within the head recess in any selected angular position relativeto the axis of said circle sections and within the limits of rotation aspermitted by said chord surfaces.

3. An adjustable golf club comprising, a head having therein a recessbounded by surfaces constituting sections of a cylinder and a chord-ofthe cylinder, a shaft having thereon a block shaped to snugly t saidrecess but being provided with a chord surface facing and spaced fromthe recess chord surface to thereby permit limited rotation of saidblock within the recess, and spaced set screws carried by said head andcoacting with said chord surface of the block on opposite sides of itsaxis of rotation to clamp the block within the head recess in variousangular positions relative to the axis of said cylinder sections.

4. An adjustable golf club according to claim 3, wherein the chordsurface of the recess is formed by a segmental block secured within therecess.

5. An adjustable golf club according to claim 4, wherein the set screwsextend through the segmental block and retain the same in position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,336 9/26Lindgren 273-80.1 1,643,250 9/27 Longsworth 273-79 2,708,579 5/55 Hugman273-79 2,879,065 3/59 Smith 273-812 2,941,806 6/60 Stevens 273-8123,096,982 7/63 Bassin 273-801 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner.

1. AN ADJUSTABLE GOLF CLUB COMPRISING, A HEAD HAVING THEREIN ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL RECESS BOUNDED ON ONE SIDE BY A CHORD SURFACE,A SHAFT HAVING THEREON A CYLINDRICAL BLOCK SNUGLY FITTING SAID RECESSAND ALSO BOUNDED ON ONE SIDE BY A CHROD SURFACE, THE RECESS HAVING ASHORTER CHORD SURFACE THAN THE CHORD SURFACE OF THE BLOCK AND SAIDSURFACES BEING SPACED APART TO PERMIT ROTARY ADJUSTMENT OF SAID HEADRELATIVE TO SAID BLOCK, AND MEANS ON SAID HEAD COACTING WITH THE CHORDSURFACE OF SAID BLOCK AT SPACED LOCATIONS THEREALONG FOR POSITIVELYCLAMPING THE BLOCK IN VARIOUS POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT WITHIN SAID RECESS.